The U.S. Attorney's Office in Dallas has not released the identities of the victims, and in the FBI affidavit accompanying the criminal complaint, they are only referred to by initials. One of the victims, identified as R.D., is described as the owner of the record label 1017 Records, which belongs to Gucci Mane, whose real name is Radric Delantic Davis.
"The victims in this case came to Dallas for a legitimate business meeting but were met with gunfire and violence," stated Ryan Raybould, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, during a press conference.
The alleged incident occurred on January 10, when three victims traveled to Dallas for what they believed was a business meeting at a music studio. According to the prosecution, Pooh Shiesty, whose real name is Lontrell Williams Jr., organized the meeting to discuss the terms of his contract with the record label.
After the men entered the studio, Williams Jr. and eight accomplices, some of whom traveled from Memphis, carried out a coordinated armed attack. Prosecutor Raybould described Pooh Shiesty as the leader of the group.
Eight of the nine suspects were arrested on Wednesday. The FBI executed a search at a house in the Cordova suburb of Memphis, which records indicate belongs to Pooh Shiesty.
According to the affidavit, the rapper requested a private conversation with the record label owner in one of the studio rooms. During the conversation, along with his father Lontrell Williams Sr. and fellow rapper Big30, whose real name is Rodney Wright, he presented a contract termination document and demanded it be signed.
After a dispute, Pooh Shiesty allegedly pulled out a rifle-like weapon and forced the victim to sign the document. He also took the victim's wedding ring, watch, earrings, and money.
Upon exiting the room, the other suspects drew weapons and robbed the remaining two men. One of the victims, identified as M.M., was choked nearly to the point of unconsciousness. It is also alleged that Wright blocked the studio doors to prevent their escape.
At the time of the incident, Pooh Shiesty was under house arrest due to a prior conviction for a firearms-related conspiracy in Florida and was wearing an electronic monitoring device. Investigators used data from that device, along with surveillance footage, phone records, and social media posts in their investigation.
Gucci Mane is considered one of the pioneers of trap music, alongside rappers T.I. and Jeezy. He rose to fame in the mid-2000s with the hit "Icy" and throughout his career has built a rich musical catalog and helped develop numerous artists.
His career has also been marked by legal issues, including charges for drug possession, assault, and probation violation. In 2014, he was convicted in a federal firearms case and was released from prison in 2016.
In his 2017 autobiography, he reflected on personal growth and struggles with mental health, including diagnoses of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In recent years, he has publicly emphasized living a more stable and sober life.